50 cal projectile?

[smle2009]

Hi all,
Turned this 50 projectile up today,the profile is very different to the one I already have and has a purple tip,to which the only referance to, I can find, is for a soft core .5 Vickers!
It weighs 45grm compared to the 40grm of the one I had and is slightly longer,it is non magnetic apart from the weak attraction of the jacket.
Any ideas about this and about the purple tip?
Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

V/690

Without having it to hand, I think you are probably right and it is the mild steel cored bullet for the .5 Vickers Class D. That is the very long cased Vickers round (12.7 x 120mm), not the British military round.

The Class D came in two bullet weights,664 grns and 690 grns. Since your bullet weighs 45 grams which is 694 grns I think it is probably fron a Class D V/690.

Regards
TonyE

 

[SG500]

Vickers high velocity

Photo for your info of the longer cased Vickers.
All INERT/primer oiled etc.
Dave.

 

[smle2009]

Many thanks TonyE,didn't look quiet right as a .50" cal to me,Tony wouldn't this projectile have a strong magnetic attraction with a mild steel core? It has a very weak attraction as you would get from just the jacket material....

Wow Dave thats a beut mate! Thanks for showing it,are they a sod to find?
Once again something turns up and turns into a quest to find the other part,when will it ever end......

Best regards to both of you
Tony

 

[TonyE]

.50 Class D

You want to see Vickers Class D rounds? Here are some.

First picture shows the V/664 rounds, l. to r.

Proof, unheadstamped with purple stripe across base.
AP, green annulus, h/s "W K29 W .5D"
APT, green annulus, green over red tip, h/s "AP K.37 T .5D"

Note the use of "T" for tracer, not the usual "G".

Second picture is V/690, l. to r.

Ball, GM envelope, mild steel core, purple annulus, h/s "K.35 .5V.690"
Ball, GM envelope, mild steel core, purple annulus and tip, h/s "K.39 .5V.690"
Tracer, red annulus and tip, h/s "G K.34 G .5V.690"
Tracer, purple annulus, red stripe across case head, red tip, h/s "K.35 .5V.690"
Smoke Tracer (incendiary), purple annulus, dark blue tip, h/s "B K.35 B .5V.690"

Your comment about the magnetic attraction sent me scurrying upstairs to check drawings etc. I have a number of Kynoch drawings for the .5D, but none of them show the tip colours. Since they made both lead cored ball with an aluminium tip (like a .303) and a mild steel cored ball I thought the purple tip indicated the MS core. However, checking both my tipped and untipped ball in V/690 I can determine no external difference, so now I am unsure. Both have a GM envelope with no attraction at the tip (lead tip filler) but strong attraction further down where the MS core starts. I will do further research on this.

The bullets for the V/664 were flat based and those for the V/690 slightly boat-tailed (they called it "streamlined").

I have attached the drawing of the flat based bullets and will put the streamlined one up if you are interested.

Also attached are two labels for the .5D, ball and smoke tracer/incendiary. Unfortunately as the 10 round boxes open across the label, the top half is often missing.

Regards
TonyE

 

[SG500]

Many thanks TonyE,didn't look quiet right as a .50" cal to me,Tony wouldn't this projectile have a strong magnetic attraction with a mild steel core? It has a very weak attraction as you would get from just the jacket material....

Wow Dave thats a beut mate! Thanks for showing it,are they a sod to find?
Once again something turns up and turns into a quest to find the other part,when will it ever end......

Best regards to both of you
Tony

Thanks Tony, I've seen them at ECRA meetings over the last year. They're not too hard to find.
Dave.

 

[SG500]

You want to see Vickers Class D rounds? Here are some.

First picture shows the V/664 rounds, l. to r.

Proof, unheadstamped with purple stripe across base.
AP, green annulus, h/s "W K29 W .5D"
APT, green annulus, green over red tip, h/s "AP K.37 T .5D"

Note the use of "T" for tracer, not the usual "G".

Second picture is V/690, l. to r.

Ball, GM envelope, mild steel core, purple annulus, h/s "K.35 .5V.690"
Ball, GM envelope, mild steel core, purple annulus and tip, h/s "K.39 .5V.690"
Tracer, red annulus and tip, h/s "G K.34 G .5V.690"
Tracer, purple annulus, red stripe across case head, red tip, h/s "K.35 .5V.690"
Smoke Tracer (incendiary), purple annulus, dark blue tip, h/s "B K.35 B .5V.690"

Your comment about the magnetic attraction sent me scurrying upstairs to check drawings etc. I have a number of Kynoch drawings for the .5D, but none of them show the tip colours. Since they made both lead cored ball with an aluminium tip (like a .303) and a mild steel cored ball I thought the purple tip indicated the MS core. However, checking both my tipped and untipped ball in V/690 I can determine no external difference, so now I am unsure. Both have a GM envelope with no attraction at the tip (lead tip filler) but strong attraction further down where the MS core starts. I will do further research on this.

The bullets for the V/664 were flat based and those for the V/690 slightly boat-tailed (they called it "streamlined").

I have attached the drawing of the flat based bullets and will put the streamlined one up if you are interested.

Also attached are two labels for the .5D, ball and smoke tracer/incendiary. Unfortunately as the 10 round boxes open across the label, the top half is often missing.

Regards
TonyE

VERY nice Tony, thanks for the information.
Dave.

 

[TonyE]

Madsen

Whilst on the subject of different machine gun rounds, here is the label for both ordinary ball and Standard ball for the 11.35mm Madsen.

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Thanks chaps,
yes please to posting the drawing of the V/690 bullet TonyE,
Dave did you notice how much they were selling for?
On a mission now!...only got the projectile for that NK(N back to front) 50 cal case! now it's all got out of hand again...and I shall probably get into trouble again.........
Cheers
Tony

 

[SG500]

Tony, I can probably get you one coz I know a man who has a few spare.
I'll pm you with a price and details tomorrow.
Dave.

 

[TonyE]

.5D

Dave, I presume you mean our ECRA Hon.Sec. If it is not him, I think Martin has some.

Regards
TonyE

 

[SG500]

Thanks Tony.
Yes its Martin.
Dave.

 

[smle2009]

Many thanks Dave,
In for a penny ect...already in trouble! picked up a 'ordinary' .5 Vickers case & a WWII German 13mm aircraft round, looking for a .5 HV tonight!
Cheers
Tony

 

[TonyE]

Thanks chaps,
yes please to posting the drawing of the V/690 bullet TonyE,
Dave did you notice how much they were selling for?
On a mission now!...only got the projectile for that NK(N back to front) 50 cal case! now it's all got out of hand again...and I shall probably get into trouble again.........
Cheers
Tony

Ask and ye shall receive.

Kynoch drawing BK119/70 dated 4/4/33 of the V/690 streamlined bullets.
(The whole drawing was a little too large for the scanner. I must get an A3 scanner)

Regards
TonyE

 

[smle2009]

Many thanks TonyE,you're a star.
How is the book coming along,can't wait to get hold of a copy!

All the best
Tony(Mr snowed in and very bored!!!!)